God’s sovereignty is simultaneously one of the most difficult and comforting doctrines. It leaves us with unanswered questions, unexplained emotions, and yet seeks to form us with unwavering assurance of God’s goodness and faithfulness. Though our “Why’s” don’t always get a detailed answer, we have a King who both “rules over all” (Ps 103:19) and loves us and knows us intimately. In fact, we have a God who loves us so much that sometimes He calls us to walk through various “valleys” for our own good!
Of course, this doesn’t always feel good, which is what the song “Sovereign Over Us” holds in tension and helps us express. Not to be suppressed, our God-given emotions may be just the very vehicle God uses for communicating His love to us in the midst of trying, or even tragic, circumstances. For His strength is sufficient to sustain us in our weakness (2 Cor 12:9-11).
Maybe you’re in a valley right now? As seen in our recent “Living Without” series, the Psalms provide us with gut-wrenching examples of crying out to our good, faithful, and sovereign God, who is the “lifter of the lowly” (Ps 145:14). He sees you. Loves you. Upholds you. Though His ways and His timing don’t always make sense to us (Is 55:8-9), perhaps He’s stirring within us a greater trust and dependence on Him that can only be learned through such trials. And perhaps our Father is drawing you, His child, closer and closer to Himself in intimate communion.
Whether we’ve been through valleys recently or not, Jesus promised that at some point we all will (Jn 16:33). How are you preparing now? How are you preparing to praise God in valley? It’s our hope that Biblically packed songs like this will help us cry out to God, and prepare us to trust and look to Him, even when the world seems to be caving in on us.
- Jonathan
Sovereign Over Us
Written by Aaron Keyes, Bryan Brown, Jack Mooring
Lyrics:
Verse 1:
There is strength within the sorrow (Ps 46:1, 2Co 12:9)
There is beauty in our tears (Ps 42:1-4, 126:5)
And You meet us in our mourning (Ps 30:11-12, Is 41:10)
With a love that casts out fear (1 John 4:18)
You are working in our waiting (Ps 27:14, Rom 8:25)
Sanctifying us (Rom 5:3-5, Phil 2:13, Ja 1:2-4)
When beyond our understanding (Deut 29:29)
You're teaching us to trust (Phil 4:19)
Chorus:
Your plans are still to prosper (Jer 29:11, Ps 35:27)
You've not forgotten us (Deut 31:6, Ps 94:14-15, Mt 28:20)
You're with us in the fire and the flood (Is 43:2, Dan 3:25)
Faithful forever, perfect in love (Ps 146:6, 1 Pet 4:19)
You are sovereign over us (Is 46:9-10, Ps 115:3, Eph 1:3-14)
Verse 3
You are wisdom unimagined (Rom 11:33-34)
Who could understand Your ways? (Is 55:8-9)
Reigning high above the heavens (Ps 103:19)
Reaching down in endless grace (Ps 57:3, Jn 1:16)
You're the lifter of the lowly (Ps 30:1-3, 145:14)
Compassionate and kind (Ps 94:18-19, Is 49:13)
You surround and You uphold me (Ps 5:11-12)
And Your promises are my delight (Ps 37:4, 2 Cor 1:20)
Bridge
Even what the enemy means for evil (Rom 9:17)
You *mean it for our good (Gen 50:20)
And for Your glory (Ex 14:4, Is 42:8)
Even in the valley You are faithful (Ps 23:4, 86:15)
You're working for our good (Lam 3:22-23, Rom 8:28)
And for Your glory (Is 48:9-11, Rom 11:36)
© 2011 Jack Mooring Music, Meaux Jeaux Music, Thankyou Music, worshiptogether.com songs
*Original lyric is “turn”, but we sing “mean” with written permission from the songwriter.
